New comedy-horror show
Degenerate ‘the Midsommar of stand-up’ (Horror Obsessive),
a satire on ageing for the Final Girl in all of us
SQUEAK @ The Rotunda Theatre, Regency Square, Brighton, BN1 2FG, Wed 31 May @ 7:45pm & Thur 01 June @ 7:45pm
Maria Teresa Creasey, ‘endlessly witty’ (Fringebiscuit) uses character comedy, storytelling and clowning to explore the desolate landscape between desirability and death. Think “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” meets David Lynch.
A hellscape stand-up comedy show, from emerging theatre company this is not a test, that descends into a full frontal face-off with the concept of ageing itself. Degenerate deconstructs the stand-up gig format, exploring the lengths women go to, to stay young and relevant in our youth-obsessed culture. A fever dream of vampires, awkward jokes, telepathy, physical comedy and audience participation. Degenerate explores the existential fear of ageing and the horror of invisibility, before channelling Final Girl energy in a bloody finale of freedom and self-acceptance. A battle cry for decaying defiantly.
The project hopes to expose both how unifying and divisive a conversation about ageing can be. This is the third show that this is not a test has developed together. Degenerate is a direct creative response by performer Maria and director Rebecca to the experience of juggling the demands of a creative career with full-time parenting responsibilities. Maria “…feisty, animated and impassioned” (***** CultBox) exposes the reality of ageing in our youth-obsessed culture and the invisibility of middle age.
Performer Maria Teresa Creasey said: ‘Michelle Yeoh said it perfectly in her recent Oscar speech, “Ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you are ever past your prime.” For so long the media has sold us the idea that as a woman ages she loses her value and everyone is allowed an opinion on it – just look at Madonna in the media recently. But ageing is the one inevitable fact of life. We all do it. All our lives, in fact, you’re doing it right now. Degenerate is our battle cry for anyone who feels invisible, to channel your inner Final Girl and ultimately have the last laugh.’
Director Rebecca Reeves said: ‘Degenerate is a creative response to an industry that is not set up to accommodate emerging female creatives in midlife and beyond. But ‘emerging’ can happen at any age – think Veronica Ryan, Jennifer Coolidge, Rachel Bagshaw and Bernadine Evaristo to name a few. The show reflects our desire to take a risk – all in service of channelling the confidence and power of midlife, stepping out of the shadows that we feel middle age plunges women into, with a sprinkling of the supernatural thrown in for good measure!’
